Policy-Driven Solar Innovation and Deployment Remains Critical for US Grid Decarbonization

To date, in the absence of a technology-agnostic national decarbonization policy, technology-specific policies have driven US grid decarbonization, and solar deployment in particular. Many of these technology policies are now ending, leaving low prices and market forces to drive future solar deployment. However, low prices and market forces alone are not likely to achieve the pace and scale of solar deployment required to meet US decarbonization targets. Here, we draw fresh insights from the recently published US Department of Energy's Solar Futures Study - led by the authors of this commentary - to show that policy-supported solar innovation and deployment remain critical for grid decarbonization in the United States.